Saving money requires a lot of discipline and delayed gratification. However, as the folks at finance blog Wise Bread have written, it's important to make sure that gratification does come.

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If you've recently implemented a savings plan in order to be more responsible with your finances, then rewarding yourself for sticking to it isn't a bad idea.

When you are already cutting down debt and meeting your savings goals, you should give yourself some positive reinforcement. Being responsible with your money should be fun, too. When you let yourself have that massage or video game you wanted, you may become even more motivated to earn and save more. If saving money becomes hard labor for you, then you are probably less happy than you might otherwise be, but that does not have to be how you live.

However, don't neglect your debts. If you owe a reasonable amount of money, paying it off and being debt-free is a far more rewarding course of action in the long run.

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And if you do splurge, it doesn't have to be wasteful. Some splurges have long term benefits—like higher quality shoes that will outlast a few pairs of cheaper ones. Plus, it breaks up your routine and keeps life interesting. Hit the link for more.